Case Study of Stratified Chilled Water Storage Utilization for Comfort and Process Cooling in a Hot, Humid Climate

Abstract

The advantages of thermal storage are enhanced in hot and humid climates. Year-round cooling loads increase thermal storage operating cost savings. The absence of a long winter during which major maintenance tasks can be accomplished without compromising system reliability increases the importance of thermal storage as back-up capacity. In an industrial setting, operating cost savings due to thermal storage go directly to the bottom line of a manufacturing process and the avoidance of lost production due to process cooling outages can save millions of dollars per year. This paper presents a case study of chilled water storage use at the campus of a major US electronics manufacturer located in Dallas, TX. An overview of the system and its operation is followed by presentation of operating data taken during 1997.